Pedro Cabrita Reis: XIV Steps

On the occasion of the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Pedro Cabrita Reis returns to Venice with “XIV Steps”, a cycle of fourteen diptych paintings inspired by the Stations of the Cross. This project represents a radical shift in the artist’s Venetian history; after previous landmark interventions defined by large-scale steel structures, industrial materials, and neon light, the artist presents an intimate turn that repositions painting at the centre of his practice.

Created specifically for the 2026 exhibition, these works engage with the dramatic narrative of the Stations of the Cross as a universal reflection on suffering, endurance, and the human condition. The exhibition unfolds through an anthropological reflection where meaning emerges from silence and fragmentation rather than explicit narrative. Deeply rooted in cultural memory and philosophical thought, the project asserts the importance of artistic freedom and the role of art as a space for interrogation. Presented within the context of the Biennale theme “In Minor Keys”, curated by Koyo Kouoh, the exhibition investigates the complexities of the human experience through the physical presence and gestural action of painting.